Blog: Take Action Before the Comments Period Ends to Support Proposed Common-sense Reforms to Oil and Gas Leasing Program on Public Lands!

After decades of a broken oil and gas leasing program, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Department of Interior, and the Biden administration are proposing common-sense reforms to prioritize better management of our public lands.

About 90 percent of the public lands in the West - about 192 million acres- managed by the Bureau of Land Management are open to oil and gas leasing.

These overdue reforms are critical to ensure that moving forward. The current system allows oil and gas companies to boost their profits while taxpayers and local communities pay for cleaning the abandoned wells that pollute our public lands, waters, and air. Westerners are fed up with a system that favors harmful oil and gas development over communities. Most Western voters (91%) believe oil and gas companies should pay to clean up their messes.

The new rule will change an antiquated system that has, for way too long, benefitted oil and gas companies over communities. Here are some expected changes with the proposed measures:

• Bonding

The policies outlined in the rule take action to increase bonding rates -which have not been raised in over 60 years despite inflation costs- to a reasonable level, ensuring that companies cover the clean-up costs for current and future oil and gas activity on public lands.

• Fiscal Rates and Terms

The new rule will permanently increase the fees required to lease and drill on public lands. The BLM is also proposing that the minimum rental rates and minimum lease bid be adjusted annually for inflation beginning in 2032 to ensure taxpayers continue receiving a fair share from the industry’s development of publicly-owned resources.

• “Leasing Criteria”

The new requirements will apply a leasing criteria that will also reduce the practice of “speculative leasing,” requiring that lands– due to a lack of development potential or the presence of critical wildlife habitat – are excluded from future sales.

The rule eliminates noncompetitive leasing, which previously gave away our public lands for as little as 1.50 per acre. Stopping this practice ensures the BLM is not wasting time administering questionable and speculative leases for pennies on the dollar.

Communities can give their opinion on the proposed oil and gas leasing program rule until September 22, when the 30-day comment period ends. Take action here to show your support for these strongest reforms to protect taxpayers, support wildlife, and ensure that our public lands and resources are better managed to benefit the people, not companies.